A 62-year-old woman, Nana Ama Nwurueze, has been remanded by the High Court in Accra for allegedly defrauding another businesswoman of $13,000 under false pretenses. The case, which has been under investigation since 2021, resurfaced in court after authorities apprehended the accused following her prolonged evasion of arrest.
Years on the Run? Prosecution Paints Nwurueze as a Flight Risk
According to Chief Inspector Apewa Achana, Nwurueze posed as a wealthy businesswoman with substantial properties, including Ohemaa Plaza at East Legon, fishing vessels in Takoradi, and a house at Airport, to deceive her victim, Dorothy Asare, into handing over the money.
Despite the case being first reported to the Airport Police Station in 2021, multiple attempts to arrest the accused failed. Asare later petitioned the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), leading to Nwurueze’s eventual arrest in March 2024.
Prosecutors claim that after she was granted police inquiry bail, she failed to comply with the investigation process and went into hiding, prompting the court to issue a bench warrant for her arrest in December 2023.
Legal Battle Over Bail: Defense vs. Prosecution
When she appeared before Her Worship Abena Asoh Owusu-Omenyo at the Adabraka District Court, Nwurueze pleaded not guilty to the charge of defrauding by false pretenses.
Her lawyer, George Asamani, applied for bail, arguing that his client had been unwell and had no intention of escaping justice. He assured the court that she would attend trial if released on bail.
However, the prosecution strongly opposed the bail request, citing her history of evading arrest. Chief Inspector Achana emphasized that granting her bail posed a risk to the trial proceedings.
Court Ruling: No Bail for Nwurueze
After hearing both arguments, the judge ruled in favor of the prosecution, denying bail and ordering Nwurueze’s remand.
The case is set to continue as prosecutors work to prove the allegations against the accused, while her defense team pushes for her release.
For now, the self-styled businesswoman remains behind bars as the legal battle unfolds.
